4 NHL Teams Teetering on Mushy Middle Madness

Four NHL teams grind through another season trapped in that brutal no-man's-land where they're too good to tank but too flawed to contend, and front offices whisper about the same old fixes that never stick. Calgary clings to fading glory without high draft picks, Detroit's shiny offseason adds like John Gibson barely budge the Atlantic needle, and even perennial contenders like the Islanders fade after deep runs.